L’Darius Smith is a a troubled man prone to confrontations, delusions, depression, and self-harm who twice avoided prison in high-profile trials in Flagler in the last five years, but minor probation violation resulted in a prison sentence Thursday even though the court acknowledged that he suffers from deep mental health problems and needs treatment.
Health & Society
Unsupportive Families and Conversion Therapy Drive Trans Youth to Suicide
Supportive family environments and hormone replacement therapy that affirms a transgender child’s gender identity decrease their risk of suicide or running away from home, whereas unsupportive family environments and conversion therapy that denies their gender identity increase these risks.
Health Care’s Familiar Symptoms: GOP Wants Less Regulation, Democrats Want More
GOP health plans would allow more employers to bypass the landmark health insurance overhaul’s basic benefits requirements and most state standards. Democrats want to limit short-term plans’ length before people go into ACA plans. Meanwhile, many still struggle to afford deductibles or other costs.
Without Evidence, Florida’s Surgeon General Blames Covid Vaccine for Bronny James’s Cardiac Episode
Despite scientific evidence to th contrary from federal agencies, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo this week bolstered the link between the Covid-19 vaccine and cardiac arrests suffered by two University of Southern California basketball players. One of those players is Los Angeles Lakers player Lebron James’ son.
Dr. Spock’s Timeless Lessons in Parenting
“The Common Sense Book of Baby and Childcare,” written by Dr. Benjamin Spock and published in 1946, encouraged parents to think for themselves and to trust their instincts. Spock’s book was a huge best-seller, second in the U.S. only to the Bible. He believed that children come into the world with distinct needs, interests and abilities, and that the core of good parenting is attending carefully to what each child requires at each stage of development.
AdventHealth Prepares to Open Palm Coast Parkway Hospital, Doubling ER and Patient Capacity
The 158,000-sqaure-foot facility, which cost $167 million, includes 100 inpatient beds, which will double the inpatient capacity for Flagler County when added to AdventHealth Palm Coast, the hospital that recently marked its 20th anniversary at its campus on S.R. 100 just west of I-95.
ACLU Accused Florida Supreme Court of Abusing Its Authority on Recreational Pot Initiative
In a brief supporting a citizens’ initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use, the ACLU accuses the Florida Supreme Court of abusing its authority to strike proposed state constitutional amendments from the ballot.
Will Furry’s Rate Plan for Belle Terre Swim Club Is ‘Ludicrous’ and Disconnected from Reality
School Board member Will Furry is demanding a new rate structure for Belle Terre Swim and Racquet Club that is based on “personal belief unmoored to any study or research,” Doug Courtney, who leads the club’s advisory board, argues. The rates would increase sharply, and be split into tiers. The board is voting on the new rates Tuesday evening.
Pandemic Wanes, But Attacks on Public Health and Misinformation About Vaccines Don’t
Over the course of the pandemic, lawsuits came from every direction, questioning public health policies and hospitals’ authority. Petitioners argued for care to be provided in a different way, they questioned mandates on mask and vaccine use, and they attacked restrictions on gatherings. That’s not over.
Yes, There Is a Free Lunch
Step back a moment and take stock of the paradox. On one hand a community can and should take pride in its willingness to rally for those in need. On the other hand, there should not be such things as food drives–not in a country that presumes itself wealthy and civilized. There should not be food insecurity, period. Basic nutrition is a human right, as ought to be universal food assistance where necessary and free school meals whether necessary or not.